|
|
This is only a preview of the paper
Click here to register and get the full text.
Existing members click here to login
|
|
|
Perform a close textual analysis of sonnet 55 by William Shakespeare “Not marble nor the gilded monuments”.
This essay will take a close textual analysis of Shakespeare’s sonnet 55 to discover
the deeper meanings attributed to his actual words.
Shakespeare’s sonnet 55 ‘Not marble nor the gilded mountains’ touches on three major points, it addresses war, death, and life. ...
The eternity of this sonnet is shown in the opening two lines when Shakespeare states that:
“Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;”
Both are images of things that are thought of themselves as being almost immortal and that are certainly undying and yet they cannot compare to ‘this powerful rhyme’, Shakespeare’s use of the word ‘powerful’ is used here to show the actual power the sonnet has in the ability to leave an undying memory of the addressee rather than the emotive attributes of the sonnet, and Shakespeare then goes on to explain his reasoning behind this spectacular statement:
“When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
And broils root out of the work of masonry,”
For whilst the seemingly immortal works of art such as marble and ‘gilded monuments of princes’ can be overturned and destroyed by war ,the sonnet and therefore the memory of the addressee shall continue to live on. ... Shakespeare says: Because of my poem you will never die”
(Martin, 158)
It is also interesting to note that whilst apparently attempting to immortalise the memory of the addressee we are never actually privy to the knowledge as to who the person being written about, the reasoning for this however could be either that this was in fact a personal piece, which is shown by the fact that it dies seem to be addressed to somebody ‘you shall shine’ and ‘living record of your memory’, or that the sonnet is in fact addressed at nobody but can be universal.
Approximate Word count = 1380
Approximate Pages = 5.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
|
|
|
|
|
|